An air-guiding device for cooling the brakes has adjustable air-guiding flaps and an electronic control unit for controlling the air-guiding flaps as a function of the vehicle speed and of the pilot control pressure, triggered by the activation of the brake pedal, in the brake system. A first mode and a second mode for opening the air-guiding flaps are provided in the control unit by a corresponding program module. The first mode is directed to a strong deceleration demand at a relatively high vehicle speed, in particular on freeways and country roads. The second mode is directed to an acceleration prevention demand at a relatively low vehicle speed, in particular when travelling downhill on roads through mountain passes.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. An air-guiding device for cooling brakes in a motor vehicle, comprising: adjustable air-guiding flaps configurable to direct air to the brakes in the motor vehicle; an electronic control unit operatively coupled with the adjustable air-guiding flaps, the electronic control unit controlling the adjustable air-guiding flaps as a function of vehicle speed and as a function of pilot control pressure generated in a brake system upon activation of a brake pedal, wherein the electronic control unit is programmable configured to control the adjustable air-guiding flaps according to a first mode and a second mode, wherein the first mode operates to open the adjustable air-guiding flaps if the vehicle speed exceeds a defined upper speed threshold value while the pilot control pressure is above a defined upper pressure threshold value, for a predefined first period of time, and wherein the second mode operates to open the adjustable air-guiding flaps if the vehicle speed is between the upper speed threshold and a defined lower speed threshold value while the pilot control pressure is between the upper pressure threshold value and a defined lower pressure threshold value for a predefined second period of time.
A car's braking system has adjustable flaps to direct air for cooling. An electronic control unit (ECU) opens/closes these flaps based on vehicle speed and brake pressure (how hard the pedal is pressed). The ECU has two modes. Mode 1 opens the flaps if the car is going fast (above a speed threshold) AND the brake pedal is pressed hard (above a pressure threshold) for a set time. Mode 2 opens the flaps if the car is going a moderate speed (between high and low speed thresholds) AND the brake pedal is pressed moderately (between high and low pressure thresholds) for a different set time.
2. The air-guiding device according to claim 1 , wherein the first mode operates to open the adjustable air-guiding flaps if the vehicle speed exceeds the defined upper speed threshold value while the pilot control pressure rises, for a second time after a first time, above the defined upper pressure threshold value and is maintained above the defined upper pressure threshold value for the first period of time.
The braking system with adjustable cooling flaps refines its high-speed brake cooling (Mode 1). If the car is already above the high-speed threshold and the brake pressure spikes above its high threshold *again* after already being above it *once* during the braking event, the flaps open. They stay open as long as the high brake pressure is maintained for a specific amount of time, ensuring cooling during repeated hard braking.
3. The air-guiding device according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined first time period is less than the predefined second time period.
For the car braking system with adjustable cooling flaps, the time period that the system waits in Mode 1 (high-speed braking) is SHORTER than the time period the system waits in Mode 2 (moderate-speed braking) to trigger flap opening. This suggests the flaps open faster in the high-speed, high-pressure scenario than in the moderate speed/pressure scenario.
4. The air-guiding device according to claim 2 , wherein the predefined first time period is less than the predefined second time period.
The car braking system's high-speed cooling mode (Mode 1), which opens the flaps if the brake pressure spikes above a high threshold a second time, uses a SHORTER time period to decide when to open the flaps compared to the moderate-speed cooling mode (Mode 2). This means the system reacts quicker to repeated high-speed braking than moderate braking.
5. The air-guiding device according to claim 1 , wherein both in the first mode and in the second mode, after operating to open the adjustable air-guiding flaps, the adjustable air-guiding flaps are not closed again until after an expiration of a predefined cooling time period that begins with an undershooting of the respective pressure threshold value.
In the car braking system, once the cooling flaps are opened in either the high-speed (Mode 1) or moderate-speed (Mode 2) modes, they don't immediately close when the brake pressure drops. Instead, they stay open for a defined "cooling time" that begins only when the brake pressure drops *below* its respective threshold (high pressure threshold for Mode 1, low pressure threshold for Mode 2). This ensures continued cooling even after the driver eases off the brake.
6. A method of operating an air-guiding device for cooling brakes in a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle being equipped with adjustable air-guiding flaps and a programmed electronic control unit that operates to control the air-guiding flaps, wherein the method comprises the acts of: controlling, via the electronic control unit, an opening of the adjustable air-guiding flaps in a first mode as a function of vehicle speed and as a function of pilot control pressure generated in a brake system of the vehicle upon activation of a brake pedal system; and controlling, via the electronic control unit, an opening of the adjustable air-guiding flaps in a second mode as a function of the vehicle speed and as a function of the pilot control pressure generated in the brake system upon activation of the brake pedal, wherein the first mode operates to open the adjustable air-guiding flaps if the vehicle speed exceeds a defined upper speed threshold value while the pilot control pressure is above a defined upper pressure threshold value for a predefined first period of time, and wherein the second mode operates to open the adjustable air-guiding flaps if the vehicle speed is between the upper speed threshold and a defined lower speed threshold value while the pilot control pressure is between the upper pressure threshold and a defined lower pressure threshold value for a predefined second period of time.
A method for cooling car brakes using adjustable air flaps involves an ECU controlling flap opening in two modes based on vehicle speed and brake pedal pressure. In "Mode 1", the flaps open if the car exceeds a high-speed threshold AND the brake pressure is above a high-pressure threshold for a period of time. In "Mode 2", the flaps open if the car's speed is between high and low thresholds AND the brake pressure is between high and low thresholds for a different period of time.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the first mode operates to open the adjustable air-guiding flaps if the vehicle speed exceeds the defined upper speed threshold value while the pilot control pressure rises, for a second time after a first time, above the defined upper pressure threshold value and is maintained above the defined upper pressure threshold value for the first period of time.
A method for cooling car brakes refines high-speed brake cooling ("Mode 1"). If the car is already above the high-speed threshold and the brake pressure spikes above its high threshold *again* after already being above it *once* during the braking event, the flaps open. They stay open as long as the high brake pressure is maintained for a specific amount of time, ensuring cooling during repeated hard braking.
8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein both in the first mode and in the second mode, after operating to open the adjustable air-guiding flaps, the adjustable air-guiding flaps are not closed again until after an expiration of a predefined cooling time period that begins with an undershooting of the respective pressure threshold value.
In a method for cooling car brakes, once the cooling flaps are opened in either the high-speed (Mode 1) or moderate-speed (Mode 2) modes, they don't immediately close when the brake pressure drops. Instead, they stay open for a defined "cooling time" that begins only when the brake pressure drops *below* its respective threshold (high pressure threshold for Mode 1, low pressure threshold for Mode 2). This ensures continued cooling even after the driver eases off the brake.
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April 14, 2015
March 21, 2017
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